The Church of Blood
by Peace215
Summary: AU. The defeat of Trigon brought peace to their world, but also killed their friend Raven in the process. Now 12 years later the team must band together to defeat Trigon's rising again, without their dark bird's help. Or so they think.
1. A Sleepless Night

Summary: This is wildly AU, with a lot of themes being based off of the comics. Raven died protecting the world from Trigon's evil claws. Twelve years later, the Titans have disbanded, living their normal lives, except for one dark hero who now goes by the name Nightwing. As a new terror unfolds, and young girls are committing suicide, he discovers that Trigon is once again planning to open a portal into their world. And alone, the Titans are left defenseless to stop it. But are they really alone? And is it really Trigon, coming back to claim what he couldn't have?

AN: I thought maybe I would post one of these many stories I have sitting on my hard drive. I've been finally given some inspiration and plan on keeping this story hopping. I hope everyone enjoys, and remember I accept all types of criticism - though try not to be rude 'mkay?

Enjoy!

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_You never lose by loving. You always lost by holding back.  
-Anon_

The ceiling was a stark white with the muffled shadows stretching along the painted tiles. He saw a light from the passing cars' headlights float over his bed as the turned was made and sighed. Slowly he turned over, glancing to his left to see the beautiful alien redhead lay beside him, her lips parted in a small bow shape as the light snoring caught his ear every once and awhile. He sighed again before turning back to the ceiling.

His fingers twitched. How long had he been laying there, unable to get up out of fear of waking his girlfriend? He felt his feet twitch. He needed to move, to pace, to run and jump and swing from the buildings. But he had already done that, that night. He needed something more, something that would get him to relax and sleep. He would be absolute hell tomorrow back in the prescient.

Glaring up at the ceiling he decided on a course of action. He moved with catlike grace, crawling out from under the white comforter, cringing at every squeak of the springs as his weight left. Kori sighed dreamily and turned over to her other side, her blazing hair leaving a trail on the pillow. Richard briefly let a small breath of relief pass his lips as he crept from the bedroom, out into the living room.

He glanced down at the pull out couch, watching Tim sprawl across it, and a thin layer of drool coating his pillow beneath his head. His mask fell haphazardly on to his nose as one lone eye was left bare. He smirked to himself; he knew the poor boy was exhausted, much like Richard was but his mind wouldn't let him rest. Too many thoughts, too many dreams that he needed to calm before he could sleep. He left him be as he was unable to wake him from whatever pleasant dream he was having, by the way he smiled crookedly.

Slowly he moved into the kitchen, pulling his jacket off the hook by the door. He felt along in the dark for his shoes, seeing no need to flip on the lights as he could see as good as a spider in the night. He smiled to himself; or a bat, he subtly hinted. He had grabbed one while he leaned against the wall for support just as the lights turned on, momentarily blinding him. He stumbled a bit, losing his balance as his shoulder connected with the wall. He groaned low in his throat as he blinked tears away.

Tim walked over to him, his mask dangling by his fingers. His look was pensive and careful, as if he would be afraid to ask what question was brimming around him. Tim's dark stormy eyes found his sky blue ones as he tried to smile, but it failed half way through. "Where are you going Dick?"

Richard rubbed his arm – the one that he had fallen on during the fight that night and it was still horribly sore – and stood straight up. He ran a hand through his long roguish locks and pointed to the back door. "I need to get out of here. To think," he added as an afterthought. The look didn't leave Tim's face as he reached for his coat.

"I'm coming with you," he said calmly, tugging his shoes up. The same steel toed boots he wore as a kid. Had it really been twelve years since he thought himself a kid? He shook his head. Tim might have been less aggressive than himself at the kid's ripe age of fifteen, but he was just as stubborn. He wouldn't budge even if he tried to lose him along the way.

"Fine." He motioned to the hook again. "Put a scarf on. Bruce'll kill me if I let you catch a cold." He saw the small smile flirt across the boy's olive skin as Dick strapped on his boots. He didn't wait for Tim to follow as he took off toward his car, deciding that the bike would be too cold and noisy to holster out of the driveway. He opened his door as Tim squeezed into the front seat, and they both sat still listening to the mustang purr to life.

"So…" Tim drawled, earning a raised eyebrow from Dick in the process. "Where might we be going?"

He shrugged, feeling his hands begin to defrost. The weather was being unmerciful, with the wind chill below freezing and the oxygen so thin that one felt like the cold was suffocating them. It had been hard fighting in the cold, let alone just sitting in a barely lukewarm vehicle. "A place where I can think."

Tim nodded at the answer, as he adjusted his puffy red jacket. Dick half expected to see a 'R' burning into the breast pocket but there was nothing. Dick started the car and began to maneuver down the drive pathway; to a place he knew he could get calm from his thoughts.

It didn't take long – truthfully speaking he knew he would end up there before he had gotten out of his warm bed at 3AM. It didn't surprise him to see the massive tower glinting in the moon rays as it sat, dejected and decrepit. There were windows blown out, a few straggling pieces of metal hanging from the roof. It still looked the same after...

They pulled to the dock, as Tim jumped from his seat, leaning over the black railing. Dick decided to sit on the hood of his car, his light eyes clouded with so many repressed memories. Things he had been hiding from; the battle, the bloodcurdling screams…

"You are morbid." Tim sighed as he kicked a pebble into the water. He could barely see where it landed.

"How so kid?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He tried to keep the scowl from his face, but the cold was biting at his cheeks, nipping at his nose and his eyes were tearing from the gusts of wind. He swore that he should've brought his mask.

Tim fiddled with his pockets on the coat, and then the buttons snapping them open, than shut before he turned to look at him. Dick was taken aback by the seriousness.

Sure the kid had seen a lot, hell he'd been through a lot too, almost as much as Dick had at his age. Almost as much as their adoptive father. But he had been able to retain some kind of innocent spark, one that made Dick remember that even though he wore his Robin costume – altered and he wasn't one bit happy about it – he still was just a kid. The seriousness never sat right on him; too much darkness for the kid who probably was the lightest out of the Bat family. Dick had tried long and hard to make sure he kept that light; God knew how long Dick had lost his.

"You come here to think. To the place that Rav-"

"Don't say her name," he threatened, his voice low and dripping in anger. Tim glared and continued as if not interrupted. He knew Dick's mood swings well enough to know how to handle them.

"The place where Raven died." There was a pause, followed by a long wind of breath seeping out of Dick's mouth. He tugged at his strands, as they whipped into the air behind him.

"I know."

"Dick, this really isn't healthy." Tim warned as he moved closer to the man who had become his adoptive older sibling. The man fit the role, he was ever watchful and protective, but he had too much inside. He never let anyone in; he had seen how he would shut Kori out when he came home from a horrible day at work, or late at night from Patrol. He wasn't blind and could see the way things festered in the older man. He knew this was one of those things that had never left his shoulders.

Dick gave a cold laugh at his statement. It chilled Tim further than he would've cared to admit. "I know."

"Then why do you come here?"

He saw the way Dick's eyes glazed over as he stared at the roof top, saw as the shadows cradled him like welcoming home a lost son into their cocoon. And he saw the flash of pain cross over his face before he pushed it away; in a blink of an eye Tim had seen the ugly truth first hand.

"Because .."He whispered the sound hollow and robotic. He was looking at it unemotionally; unaffected by what had happened. "You wouldn't understand kid. I barely do sometimes."

Tim sighed sadly as he crawled next to him on the hood, the grace of his training showing very little. He rolled his eyes; the kid was tired and didn't want to show it. "You miss her?" He asked, leaning against the windshield. He could hear the ocean waves crack into the base of the dock's wooden poles. It was the only sound for minutes until Dick spoke again.

"Sometimes." It was then Tim looked over at his friend and sometimes mentor before finding his voice. His profile was dark, contrasting with his bright blue jacket and worn in jaded green pajama bottoms. He knew he wasn't wearing anything under the jacket – much like he wasn't either, and he barely shook from the cold. He looked like an old statue, the way his face took to scowling so easily.

"Did you ever…love her Dick?" At this Dick's eyes shot up, pointedly waiting for him to explain. "I've heard a lot, from Gar and Vic. They both have a lot of stories to tell if you listen-"

"Just stories Tim, only stories."

"Well you braved Hell to get her back." His eyes if they could became darker in the night. "And you worked with Slade, which right there tells you something."

"You wouldn't understand Tim." And he sighed, jumping from the car, unable to feel his joints anymore in the freezing weather, and turned to go inside the vehicle. He could feel Tim's eyes on him, see him trying to search for answers; it was what the kid did, he was a great detective and would be as great as Batman and himself. But he was still young, and some part of Dick wanted to keep that horrible part out of his mind.

But the other part was feeling possessive, keeping the last few memories of Raven to himself. He had been the last one to see her, to hold her, the last to feel as though his world had come crashing down as she died in his hands. There, on the street corner of 5th and 19th, he held their dark angel as she gave her last breath, and he watched as in the distance Trigon fell to the ground in a cloud of black smoke. She had defeated Trigon, much to the dismay of her precious prophecy, but they had also lost her.

Dick couldn't have saved her. He didn't help her, his hope hadn't been enough to propel her further. She couldn't hold on to life because Dick knew she couldn't anymore. The power she had used, the amount of will she had shown, worn her down that Trigon's last hit had killed her. And Dick didn't want anyone to know he felt the blame of her death, even know, twelve years later. His hope hadn't been enough.

"It's okay ya' know," Tim called as he scooted off the red car top, holding himself rigid as another gust of wind took their breaths away. Winter was coming hard and strong, and they barely had time to prepare for it. At his statement, Dick looked at him. "If you did love her, it's okay. Gar said she was beautiful. Victor said she was the best of you. It would only make sense..."

"Let's go home." Dick whispered as he cracked open the car door. He heard Tim sigh as he followed and both men were silent driving back to Dick's apartment. He didn't want to think about what could have been; Dick had to stay in the moment. He was another man, another name in the hero world, and in the human world he was a detective in the Jump City prescient. He wasn't Robin anymore – and Raven wasn't there to calm his thoughts as she often did at night.

That was the reason he had gone to the tower, their late night talks being the ending to his overactive mind. She would be there, tea in hand, and she would listen, for a time, to his rants. Until finally she'd snap, sending him to bed with a few wise words and he would drift to sleep without a concern. When she had died, he lost that connection, that bond with someone and it was almost unimaginable that he was able to sleep at all.

Crawling back inside his warm place, he sent Tim back to bed with a small smile. The kid meant well, he always did. He just didn't know the whole story, and Richard didn't want to tell him. Not that night, not with so many thoughts in his mind at so late of an hour. He pushed his way back into the bed, curling under the covers, still searching for the soft snores of Kori, who had barely moved since his leaving.

And he drifted to sleep, his mind still in arms with thoughts and hopes and regrets. And during all of this, he never felt the soft tug on the rustic bond he had once shared with another person. He didn't feel the cool comfort radiating over the link. And he never would have guessed that the sensation was the reason why he was able to fall into a deep slumber; the first one in many years to ever experience.

But he also didn't see the tears fall from his lovely girlfriend's kind face as she clung to her pillow, knowing full well that Richard still did not tell her everything. She could feel something in him stir and she knew that it was only a matter of time before he either expressed his deep feelings for her or left. And she was afraid it would not be the outcome she dreamed of, night after night.

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AN: Again horribly AU, but with a lot of adventure and romance to come. Let me know what you think so far! I should have the real first chapter up soon.

_Peace._


	2. A Ghost's Picture

**AN:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! I'm so impressed – and even though my grammar and spelling skills are lacking, I hope this cuts it for everyone. Including DeathIsOnlyTheBeginin :o) *cheeky grin*

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Please enjoy!

_True love is like a ghost - everyone talks about it but few people have seen it._

_--Francois de la Rochefoucald_

The next morning Alfred had come to pick up Tim, inspecting him as he always did. The elder was always afraid that Dick would let the boy eat too much candy, or stay up too late; which sometimes he did. But Tim would never tell Alfred that; he liked spending days away from the mansion with Richard, having someone there who knew how to handle Bruce's distant demeanor and maybe someone who he could relate to better.

Not to mention he loved playing video games with Gar from time to time. Bruce never played.

Dick stood by his bike as he waved goodbye to his 'little brother' and shifted out in the opposite direction toward his station. Kori had long since left in the early dawn hours. It wasn't an unnatural occurrence as now that she no longer worked as a superheroine, but that of a model, she was expected to be at the studio on time. Richard smirked thinking on her in her short gowns or fluffy shirts; she loved the attention of it all, and gladly liked to get there early. But she only left at such an indecent hour because she had no clothing whatsoever at Dick's place.

It wasn't like he kept anything there either.

Gliding silently through traffic, Dick pulled into the parking lot, grabbing one of the closer spots as he was always there early enough to do so. None of the other detectives didn't show until ten. Gently he swung off the bike, discarded his helmet and made sure his hair was pulled back tightly. The Captain always had fits when he let it down – he didn't see what was unprofessional about it!

The doors swung open and Richard was immediately assaulted with the sounds of ringing phones, shuffling papers and loud orders being directed in the back by the white board they used to post links of various crimes. His Captain stood there, he round body housed in dark slacks and a button down white shirt without the tie, moving wildly as his arms waved about. He could see the steam coming from his ears from the door.

Dick unzipped his jacket and heard his name shouted. "Grayson!" He looked back up at the Captain. "Get over here. We're going to need you in on this one!"

Nodding more or less to himself Dick moved with the grace of a panther, sliding along the desks, earning glances from various female officers along his way. He knew what they were thinking by the way they drooled and he stopped to smile a very charming grin and hurried along to his post. The Captain caught his antics and glared hard at the young man. "Knock it off, we've got an issue here."

"What's going on Capt?" He asked as he slung his arms out of the leather jacket. One of the nearby officers grabbed it from him as he placed his helmet on the desk beside him. The white board was a mess of red and blue lines, various pictures of dead women visages and on top, newspaper clipping hung limply by the way side. He was briefly reminded of his old bedroom.

"It's bad Grayson," the Captain began. "And we need your mind on this one. Look at these," to this he pointed at the five women pictures, their faces unusual shades of white and gray. "All dead by suicide. All pregnant. All some kind of outcast."

"Outcast?" Richard asked, earning an appreciative glance from his superior. He had asked the right question.

"Loners. Some from horrible childhoods, some hermits. This one," again his chubby finger jerked to a picture. "She never left her house. Afraid of germs or something." The finger moved two pictures down. "This one, was beaten as a kid. To the point where she had a limp for the rest of her life. Father was never put in jail – too many screw ups."

"And they all killed themselves." Dick repeated, watching as his superior moved out of his way so that he could get a better look at the notes scribbled on to the board. The other officers around him were burning hole into his back. They all knew his mind was a thing of legends, he was often referred to as Sherlock, but they knew his preference. Dick liked working the hard and unusual cases. It earned him a lot of off the hours scoffing but he always caught the guy. This one matched his criteria. "They were pregnant?"

The Captain smiled as he nodded. He saw the gears in Richard's head shift and turn faster and faster. "All of them were five months to the day."

"I can see the woman who was beaten end up having a relationship – not probable but could. Yet the germaphobe and recluse wouldn't. The pressure to keep clean, the inability to leave the home.. she wouldn't have any relationships. Were they raped?"

The Captain snapped his fingers as another man in uniform came forward. He had a stack of folders held in his large black palms. "Forensics says they weren't raped, but did have have 'rough' sex."

"If it was five months to the date, how would forensics know such a thing?" Again the Captain smiled at his main detective. He like the guy, but he didn't like his choices in attire. What was with the black leather jacket, the dark jeans and black shirts all the time?

"They hadn't showered since they were impregnated. They were continuously assaulted – well I shouldn't say assaulted as it wasn't forced. Exactly... whatever. Their hands and feet were covered in grim, bites from either bugs or rats at their ankles. These women were held against their will and forced into intercourse, no matter what science says. Yet they were willing during it. It's the weirdest case I've seen all week."

"Worse than the Murphy/ Clause case?" One of the junior officers pipped up from the back. This earned a glare from the Captain but Dick smiled anyway. That had been a pretty odd case.

"Worse Johnson. Shouldn't you be on a patrol or something?" The young man nodded and quickly left the circle. The captain turned back to Dick. "Think you can handle this one?"

Richard nodded confidently. "Absolutely."

"Alone." It was more of a statement than a question. Everyone knew Dick hated working with partners. The young man looked down at his superior, easily a good foot taller and he consented. The Captain knew he had a good one and would give him the space he needed to catch the criminal. "Fine. Gregory, give the man what he needs and the rest of you, I want man-ing the phones. If anyone so much as mentions the word 'captive' I want to know about it!"

Richard walked over to his own desk, as the man Gregory followed him with the folders. Another officer, he tried pulling up the man's name- Jennings? - dragged the white board over to him. Richard took a seat, booting his computer up as he began to open the folders.

When the men didn't leave yet, he glanced up, raising an eyebrow at them. One of the officers smiled and asked: "Need any help man?" Dick raised his other eyebrow. He hadn't expected the question.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks." Still, they didn't leave him. They both watched him, much in the way a mouse would watch a sleeping cat. And it was slowly driving Richard insane as he thumbed through print out after print out. "Can I do anything for you?" He finally asked, glancing up slowly. Both men hesitate before answering.

"We have an idea, about the case." Gregory said, fiddling with his thumbs, his massive dark body much more powerful looking than Dick's lean one. His shape reminded him of Victor, except a few years younger. He nodded once for the man to continue."It sounds a lot like this cold case we've been working on."

"Have you brought this to the Captain?"

Again the young man shifted his feet. Jennings, a small and lanky light man bit his lip in thought. "We don't have much evidence. We wanted to run it by you first."

Well, Dick was caught off guard to say the least. He was floored. Most of the time he would come to work and almost nobody bothered him. The Captain liked that about him, doing his work for long and irregular hours at a time. He said it was what detectives were supposed to do. He made a 'come here' gesture as the man pulled chairs from others desks to surround him. Jennings opened a folder.

"The case is baffling but we thought you'd be interested." He took out a picture. Richard thought he'd lose his morning coffee at the sight.

The building was the same. Except there wasn't a gaping hole into hell beneath it, nor cloaked figures chanting a strange prophecy. He pushed his emotions away as he stared at the Jump City Library, in the harsh morning light, in perfect composure. "What of it?" He asked, his voice gruff and broken even to himself. He tried to steady his breathing so the men wouldn't know anything was wrong.

They looked to be in their own worlds, ignoring his slip. He said a quick thank you to whoever was above. He hoped a certain dark member of his forgotten team. "This used to be a place of a cult. Really old building, with passage ways underneath. It's no longer used. It was said that the Titans had destroyed it during a battle, and a few years ago was rebuilt."

"I see that."

Gregory leaned closer. "The city didn't rebuild it. The Mayor said too many bad things had happened there. But another corporation bought the land, and rebuilt the very same library. Now we've been trying to figure out which corporation it is-"

Jennings cut in "But haven't been able to. But we did find a case to go along with it."

There was more shuffling and Gregory placed a picture of a young woman in front of him. Her dark eyes, the angular chin and her long flowing purple hair made Richard sit back, shocked. Underneath simply said 'Arella'. He felt as if he had been slapped in the face by an unseen ghost. His body had gone cold in a matter of seconds.

Could it really be her? Could she really be Raven's mother? The one she had never known, had never been able to know as a child? She was beautiful but in a broken, determined way. She looked like a child of a bitter past, and with an even worse future ahead of her. But her strength... Richard knew Raven had the same look when she was up against amazing odds. It was overwhelming.

"This young girl came in to report she had been captured and forced into 'marriage'. She said she had been raped by some demonic force. No one believed her."

"Why not?" Richard demanded, scaring both men out of their shells. They looked to one another, unable to find the right words to calm down Dick. He had gone from nonchalant to fuming in mere moments and they were partly shocked and worried. They knew his reputation for odd cases. They also knew his tempter – it was hard not to know when working in the same building. They had seen what he did to a serial killer in interrogation one day.

The poor man didn't dare to blink again around Dick in the station.

Dick sighed. He knew he'd have to calm down and play this as if he didn't know the outcome of the rape. He'd have to relax and be as detached as possible. Bruce had said his anger would get the best of him, and he was following his words to the T.

But he was angry at the police at the time; if they had only known what had happened to that young woman, they would've slapped themselves silly. Then maybe things wouldn't have turned out as they had.

He shook his head. He couldn't think like that right now. He had to focus on this case. Even as the men spoke to him, things were falling into place. He just had to play along for awhile more.

"I mean, why didn't they believe her?"

Gregory sighed. "It was before forensics were as good as they are now. She was checked out by a doctor but they didn't see any force on her body. They looked into her background and saw what kind of family she came from. Father was a whack nut and the mother nonexistent. They thought she was looking for attention."

Richard nodded. "What happened to her?"

Jennings shrugged. "They never heard from her again. But another girl came forward, telling the same story, and blaming the library. They checked her out and because she came from a nice house and was reported missing they finally believed her. They tried to take down the library but whoever was there had long left. The girl committed suicide a week later. She was five months pregnant." Another picture was handed to Dick, the young face staring into his eyes that it made him cringe. The emptiness there was not pleasant.

There was silence among them as Richard digested the information. He licked his dry lips and ran a hand through his long hair, pulling the tie out as he did so. He felt it tickle just below his shoulders but he didn't pay it any attention. He picked up the picture of Arella once more, and studied it. He couldn't believe the close resemblance that daughter had to mother.

"You think the cult is back. That they're capturing women, forcing them into a marriage for sorts, impregnated and then released? But they're committing suicide before giving birth."

They both nodded in unison. "We wanted to run it by you. We know you're dating Starfire-"

"She goes by Kori now," Dick interrupted. Jennings blushed as an apology.

"Right, and we know she was friends with the Titans. This young girl looks a lot like that dark one that was around. The one who died? What was her name Gregory?"

Richard cut him off. "Raven, her name was Raven." He rubbed the bottom of his lip in thought. The name brought back a painful jolt in his mind and his heart. The same guilt he had felt last night was beginning to bloom throughout his veins once more.

"Right. It was too long ago for it to be her, so it had to have been her mother or grandmother or something. We thought maybe St-Kori wanted to know that you were finally getting justice for her family."

"Do you think she ever knew about Raven's childhood Jennings?" Gregory asked and he shrugged, searching for answers he didn't have with a gaping mouth.

They sat in silence again as Jennings stopped sputtering. Richard could feel his eyes tracing Arella's soft looking features – she couldn't have been much older than sixteen when the picture was taken. He felt anger burn up inside him and his vision was tinging red. He pulled the closest man to him, lowering his voice as he went.

"You bring me those cold case files, and anything else related to it. You don't say a word of this to anyone, not to the Captain or to the press. I'm taking over it from here on out."

The man – Gregory – nodded in agreement. They placed the hefty stack right next to the other one and left without so much as a whisper between them. Dick watched them walk away and knew they would keep quiet. They were only officers, it wasn't in their job descriptions to work on cold cases. That was what the detectives did.

As soon as he was satisfied that he was alone, Richard opened up the first folder... and nearly dropped the whole thing all over the floor. The jagged, red burning symbol that had littered Raven's body the night she had died, stared up at him. Under the mess of lines, the title "The Church of Scath" bleed out from the walls in a somewhat dark basement rock. The date under the picture was nearly thirty years ago. The symbols, the letters, the red oozing on to the basement rock...Richard knew what it all meant. He knew with the new case and the cold case starting at him, something terrible was coming.

Trigon. And Richard was certain, without Raven, they wouldn't be able to stop him this time around.


	3. Together Again

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the want to write, the urge to create, and the eternal love to the Titans.

**AN:** It's been _how_ long? All I can say is **sorry!** With life being as hellish as it is, this story is long overdue for an update. It's not the original one I had written, but I think it fits better. More at the bottom from me. Enjoy!

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The air was biting cold, the dampness of the freezing rain hanging around the city. Lights of various shades of white littered the skyscrapers, twinkling against the frozen black skyline. Breaths of air puffed in front of his face, the white clouds nothing but a reminder of the coldness of the city. Winter was holding fast to Jump and it wouldn't let go without a fight.

Nightwing stood on top of the small corporate building, his black battle suit blending in with the shadows around him. His long jet strands whipped behind him in the unforgiving icy breeze, his electric blue eyes hidden behind his domino mask. A deep dark blue bird etched across the chest was the only color before he leapt over the building's edge, diving head first toward the cemented bottom. Not a sound was made as his adrenaline spiked and instincts reacted.

He landed gracefully, one leg stretching out to the side of balance, his bostaff out in front of him, glinting under the fluorescents above. The streets were quiet, deserted in the late night hours. Normal people were asleep, warm and safe in their cozy beds, recharging batteries for the next day.

Normal people didn't fight crime on a daily basis with secret identities living normal lives either. That was what Nightwing was used for.

After the death of Raven the team had only lasted a year longer. They were all eighteen and had seen more than most young adults ever had to witness. They felt betrayal at the hands of someone they cared about, and they saved the world from ultimate destruction while losing a loved one. And it had beaten them, worn them down until they couldn't fight anymore. With her death, the Titans had ended, Robin had gone back to Gotham – at least in thought – and a new hero named Nightwing protected the streets of Jump during the sleeping hours.

He wasn't exactly fondly thought of, and rarely needed as with the death of a Titans scared the local criminals into hiding. They hadn't dared face the Titans after that battle. They had been savage and brutal with guilt and grief lacing their blows. Criminals had left in the middle of the night and then the Titans had retired when their work diminished.

That had been exactly twelve years ago and ever since Nightwing patrolled the streets.

Standing up silently, Nightwing retracted the staff to his side, glanced around before darting toward the giant structure looming in the backdrop. The library, the one that had been a part of the city longer than any other building was deathly calm and haunted looking in the cold night. The winds howled aorund it, startling and sharp as the silence drove at the hero. But he paid it no mind, as he flipped on to the stoop. Another howl and Nightwing shuddered. He listened for alarms.

He heard nothing.

He had more bad memories of this place than of any other spot. The Tower had always been a place of calm and enjoyment whereas this place – this building – was nothing but pain and destruction to him and his friends. After Raven's death, they had destroyed the building, condemning it as a temple to their dark angel and her fight to the greater good. The Mayor had agreed and kept the place close to the public and off the system for purchasing.

But now someone had bought the structure with the new mayor of the city, turning it into another library not yet open to the public. Nightwing had looked further into it; it had been bought by a front company, not registered with the Small Business Association but suspected of illgeal doings not yet proved, and not on any tax returns in the last ten years.

Bruce had helped him out in that area as a favor to his case. Even his Captain didn't know how he got his sources.

Scanning around him once, Nightwing took out a small clip from his belt, and began picking the lock on the library. It almost scared Nightwing how lax the security system was on the new building. He knew that it either meant there was nothing of importance to steal or the owners were overly confident nothing would be disturbed. That made Nightwing pause for a second before breaking the lock wide open, sparks shattering on to the paved steps. They might have guards or dogs protecting the place.

Pulling out a pair of tasers, he set them on stun and waited with baited breath for an attack. Counting to three he released the tasers, but kept them at the ready on his side. He'd be prepared if there were surprises in store within the library.

The door swung open with a sharp yell in the night and Nightwing walked into the dark hallway, his blue flashlight clicking on to cast eerie shadows all over the clean white walls.

The place looked like a library. There were shelves, desks and other pieces often assosicated with places of public buildings. Yet to Nightwing, it wasn't a library. There weren't any books on the floor, there weren't any computers on the desks and various pieces of debris lined the floors as if chucked there for storage. It looked like a half finished project, only taken cared of as a second thought. Nightwing took out a smaller camera, pined into his belt, tflashing pictures of his case files and his own personal ones.

It was strange but significant to his case. He could feel it even if he didn't quite understand it yet. Why wouldn't the library have books? It had been bought months ago.

Carefully Nghtwing searched the top floor, empty turned over bookcases blocking his path at times. It was irrationally silent. Not even the noise from the outside penetrated into the structure. He didn't hear growling dogs above or noisy guards below and instantly his adrenaline kicked in. Fight or flight warred inside his gut. Something didn't feel right. Something was heavy on his chest with doubt. It had been the same feeling when he had gone into the building before learning of Raven's fate. Something big was coming. He could feel it.

Moments later Nightwing stumbled upon a blocked door, bolted by a thick golden clasp. It was wooden, decrepit and worse for wear against time. But it was a door nonetheless. He lifted away a few boxes and debris, careful to keep noise to a minimum. Just because he couldn't hear anything didn't mean something wasn't there with him. Watching him. Waiting for a chance to strike.

He snorted to himself. He either sounded like one of Tim's B rated horror films or Bruce's paranoia was finally starting to wear off on him. Great. Within days he'll be keeping files on his friends on ways to destroy them.

Not like he didn't already have them stashed away somewhere. It was a thought for another day.

He pulled on the door, feeling the hinges whine in protest before jimmying away from the archway. Quietly he shone his light for a brief moment to assess the situation, then switched on a program in his mask to allow him night vision while keeping his light off. It came in handy as times like this. He had even developed the technology for Bruce and Tim's costumes.

With deadly calm movements he stalked downstairs, following the thick cement basement walls to the very bottom. They were caked together in thick mortar that crumpled away every time he stepped. It was unnerving. He took care not to step on rickety steps too just in case of the noise it might bring. Once he landed to the bottom, his stomach kicked in revulsion and bile rose in his throat, the burn pleasantly distant to his distracted mind.

All over the walls were dirty chains linked to the cement, rusty and tarnished from age. Blood smears covered the rocks, and puddles below looked sickly fresh with a sweet copper tang hanging in the air. In the center of the room was a large stone, various markings carved into the surfaces. Nightwing recognized them right away. The same marks that marred Raven's skin before her death. The same that flew over his head during the recanting phantoms during his first visit to the old library.

_Trigon._

* * *

"Dude, you found what?" Gar yelled, hands wavering in Dick's face. Brushing them away, Dick pointed to the pictures that littered his coffee table, tongue in cheek. "What the hell did you think you were going back there? You're nuts!"

It hadn't taken long for Dick to collect his pictures and hightail it out of the library that night. He couldn't find any persons there that might need medical help, but he did get an extreme case of deja vu down in the bowels of that place. Once he had returned home for patrol – stopping to do a quick swing in the ghetto section of Jump City no matter how small or shrinking it was doing as of late – he had called all his old teammates to discuss his findings.

This was bigger than what he could handle. It was bigger than all of them combined. Last time it had taken a friend's death and sacrifice to stop him. Now that people were trying to raise him again, or at the very least try and bring another child into the world that would give into his darkness, they had to stop it. It was their duty as heroes no matter how long that had been.

But even as Dick tried to point out the facts, his stomach twisted in terror. How could they fight something they couldn't win against? They had lost Raven to the demon before, who would they lose this time to his destruction?

"All I see is greasy walls." Vic said, glaring at the photos. He looked confused and downright irritated to be called out so late. It didn't help matters that Victor stilled blamed Dick for Raven's death even twelved years later. The man had thought of her as family – blood of his blood. When she had died and Robin hadn't saved her (or what they thought was him not saving her – Robin hadn't had a choice in the matter of her sacrifice. She had almways been a stubborn person) Cyborg couldn't stop blaming him for his failure.

Dick didn't hate him for it. He still felt guilty for her death and blamed himself every night for losing her. He should have fought harder, tried something else to make her see another way for destroying her father. But he hadn't. His hope hadn't been enough to keep her there with them. Now with the threat of her father's reign coming into their world again, he blamed himself even more.

Because without Raven, they didn't have a shot in hell.

"Look closer," Dick commented, pointing to a far point on the picture. "It's blood. Chains are coming out of the walls. There's a giant stone in the middle. I found a knife laying beside it, with a ragged blade and jewels encrusted on the helm. It all fits."

"What does it fit Richard?" Kori asked, coming to stand at his side. She tried to wrap her arms around his lean one, but he pulled away. He couldn't be distracted now. Not now. Not when the world was coming undone in front of them. He had to remain detached, focus on the battle at hand.

"The case. _My _case."

"Here we go," Vic muttered, throwing the photos on to the floor. "Dick, when are you going to get it? We don't work for you anymore. We don't have to help you with your cases." he stood, his large dark body covered with fake skin and civilian clothes. The Victor Stone of their younger days was gone, replaced by a working middle class man, with a wife at home expecting their first child.

He and Karen had finally married three years ago. Richard hadn't showed to the wedding. It was still a constant dig at Victor that his old friend hadn't attended. It made their rift even larger and harder to repair.

"It's not just a case Vic," Dick said pulling at his long strands. They were still damp from his shower. "This has to do with us. All of us as Titans. It has to do with Raven and her sacrifice. Trigon is coming back."

"What?" Gar asked, voice low and hostile. Out of all of them, mentioning her name around Gar set him off like a beast in the night. Richard had always secretly wondered if the man had loved the dark empath, or if their close bond was what made him reeled whenever they said her name.

He didn't have time to dwell on it. He had to make them see. He needed them. They didn't have Raven this time. They had to do this on their own – if Trigon was really coming back. They would have to work together and come out of retirement for one final battle.

"How do you know this?" Kori asked queitly, her flaming locks hanging over her shoulders in tight curls. She was still dressed in a smart white top and tight black skirt from her model shoot. Even now Rich couldn't find fault in her beauty.

"Yeah Raven killed him the night she died," Vic growled, hands clasping at his waist. The pain was evidently still raw with all of them. Kori looked ready to cry as Gar clenched his jaw to fight against the sobbing. "Raven died protecting us, this city and this world. She killed him. Sent him to another dimension where he couldn't come back to us. How do you know he's coming back now?"

"Because," Dick pulled out his case notes. "Raven's mother had lived here when everything happened. When the cult that cared for Scath took her, impregnated her with Trigon's seed which would become Raven." Dick felt his throat close up. It was a tragic story but he had to plow on. He had to make them understand. They would all be needed. This just wasn't another obsessive case for him. This was for all of them – for Raven. "Arella described to the police what had happened. They didn't believe her. Eighteen years later Trigon is using Raven as a portal for his dissent on to Earth."

The photos were in his hands again. He held them in front of his friends. "The same rituals she described to the police are still going on. Women are killing themselves at five months to the day to stop the seed of Trigon from taking root. They're doing what Arella wanted to do but was stopped by the monks of Azarath. The same place that took her and her unborn child to be raised and cared for. Where-"

"Where Raven had lived her whole life until she turned fifteen," Kori finished. Hanging her head, she slowly lowered herself into Dick's couch, hands rubbing together as if fighting off the cold. "Raven described her birth as a force that was felt throughout the dimension. It was said from the day she was born she would be his portal but the monks had seen to the control of her demonic tendencies, helping her fight his control. That is why they took her in. Because they could see the good in her when Arella came to their world. They knew that even if she was foretold to be his entrance into our world, she would always be the one to send him back."

"But this time the monks aren't around. And neither is Raven. Trigon destroyed them and killed Raven in the process. And if he's really trying to find a loophole to come back, we don't stand a chance against him divided." Dick sighed.

Shrugging slightly, Victor turned toward his old leader, face weary and tired. He looked determined though and that gave a spark of hope to the rest of them. If Cy was on Dick's side, the fight was well worth it. "Then what do you want us to do Rob? Without Raven, we're sitting ducks. If Trigon is coming here, we need a plan. And we'll have to do it together." That was more of a jab at Dick who had taken to his loner persona quiet well. They all could see how it twisted him into a darker verison of the hero they knew.

It was uncanny how he resembled his mentor, but no one was brave enough to voice such a comparison.

"Yeah, a good one." Beast boy said shakily. Hesitantly he added, "I knew I didn't like libraries for a reason." Dick snorted as Gar stood next to Vic, his slender body only coming up to his shoulder. he had grown since their younger days, but he was still the smallest of their group. "This plan better be awesome, because without Raven, we're screwed."

Clenching his hands together, Dick nodded. "I know. We need to find out if he is really coming here. If so, maybe we can head him off before it happens. Stop him when he's weakest. It'll be out only chance."

"It seems he is trying to impregnate various women with his seed for reproduction. Perhaps he intends to do what he did before to Arella? He is trying to make another portal?" Kori guessed, sparkling green eyes lighting up the room. Gar shook his head at her, kindly grasping her shoulder with his green hand.

"No way he'd wait another eighteen years for another portal. He's got to be getting these women prego in order to do something now. To come here now. He's probably pissed we sent him back last time and wants to make human sandwiches out of us." Gar winked cutely. "Human and Tameranian sandwiches that is."

"We should find a survivor," Vic rubbed his chin, ignoring Gar's lame attempt at humor. It was helping Kori stay calm and keep their minds off the truth of the realty. Trigon was powerful. He was a demon, made from Hell with the power of a thousand blazing suns on his side, and his thirst of mayhem and revenge against the Titans too strong to ignore. They knew they might not make it through the battle alive.

But they kept talking about a plan. They couldn't think of the negatives. They were needed. It was as simple as that.

Dick looked at Vic as if he just sprouted Shakespeare. A survivor? "It's worth a shot. Arella kept Raven. She didn't commit suicide whether it was the monks doing or her own conscious. If you find a survivor, you find a link. You get someone who was there who can answer our questions from the inside. Then-"

"Then once we know why and how, we can stop it before it gets too big. Good idea," Richard agreed. He marked a few notes into his files that he had flung all over the living room, the paper and pen the only sounds as the rest of the team watched on. Slowly he looked up and met them eye for eye. He could feel their anxious energy and raw courage.

They had a plan. They were working together on this. He was leader once again. Something in his gut kicked, and he wasn't quite sure he could have handle the stress if it wasn't for Vic's small smirk and his nod of encouragement. Even now the older man was forcing him to be better, to push him further. It was why they had worked so good before on the team. they pushed each other to be more than what they brought to the table.

"Anything else oh fearless leader?" It wasn't forgiveness, but it was a start. They weren't the best of friends they used to be, but they were on the same page. They were at least speaking now.

Slowly he rubbed his tired eyes and sighed. He could feel the ache in his bones but he turned toward his old teammates, the picture of strength and confidence. He smiled slightly even if there was no real reason for the smile or pleasantness. The situation was a dire one but he felt something he hadn't since Raven walked amoung them. Hope. "We need to stop this ahead of time. Last time it took Raven's ultimate sacrifice to kill Trigon. If he intends to come here, we'll need a prayer and serious teamwork to do it. Are we in?"

All three remaining members of the once Titans smiled, eyes older, bodies matured and minds wiser. They looked ready. And Richard felt a swell of pride at their togetherness. They weren't as close as they were, they still didn't have Raven, but at least they were willing. At least they wanted to save the world.

If not for them and the innocents that lived on Earth, than as vengeance for Raven's death. Trigon wouldn't know what was coming.

* * *

Slowly two violet eyes blinked, the thick black eyelashes fluttering against two pale white cheeks. The small heart shaped mouth opened and a screech of a raven sounded, the body of a young woman turning into a dark mass. Wings spread out to the sides, encasing the area in shadows before it reached for the sky. A portal of white and black magic meshing together, spinning like a vortex was high above. The form of the raven departed through it, intent on one purpose.

She was needed again. Her time for return was upon her._ They_ needed her.

* * *

**AN:** Not the best. It's more filler than an actual action chapter. Now that I've begun writing again, this is all coming from memory since most of this story had been developed and worked out on my old computer long ago. Since I do not have that, I'm going based on what I think happened in the story. (Or at least what I thought I wrote). Again, it's nothing much. But it does get better. Promise!

_Peace_


	4. Green and Black

**AN:** Happy Yule! I wanted to get this out as this week is hell with family entertaining, seeing friends and exchanging presents with a billion different people. And helping at work with Salvation Army donations… yikes! Again sorry it's short, but I had to stop it here in order to set up the next chapter!

Have a great Holiday Season everyone! And enjoy!

**The Church of Blood**

**Chapter 4: Green and Black**

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The late hour didn't concern Kori Anders, or the strange black shadows that seemed to gravitate into the small bedroom of Richard's home wrapping around him like a lost son,. She listened to his light breathing, and watched the silent rising of his chest in the quiet room. His arms were still slightly covered in a sheer layer of sweat from their intimate time together.

She rubbed the tops of her arms – long; lean, beautiful as many of her fans thought – the film still upon her too. Their time had been rough, quick and brief. The intimacy, the passion had all but deteriorated from their love making. Ever since the death of Raven, he had not showed her love, but need and dominance.

Kori pushed back her long strands, her lime eyes dulled in the darkness. Her knees were pulled close to her chin, the old grey shirt of Dick's, covering just enough to be considered appropriate. Richard used to love when she wore his clothing – now he barely batted an eyelash.

She was not jealous over her deceased friend. She was not jealous of her secret bond with her boyfriend of almost fourteen years; the one that had developed with only Raven could help Richard and no one else. The bond had saved Robin and essence had saved Raven from the internal darkness that had slowly ate away at her soul. Kori did not envy that in her life; she did not want to know such profound suffering because of blood ties and the knowledge of what would be.

Raven and Richard knew each other on a level Kori had always known, and could not compete with; but she _wanted_ to know. She wanted Richard to speak to her, talk to her like he did Raven. He did not know, but she would often find him in the wee hours, both of them whispering in the shadows about simple things – movies, books, strategies. And the bond, the companionship that hung between them was palpable. Kori yearned to have that with Dick. To have something more with the man that had stolen her heart all those years ago.

Instead she was granted entrance into his bed and arms, but not his mind. And often, especially with his even more recent distance, she had wondered if being together was such a great idea. He didn't tell her he loved her. He didn't bring her flowers; not since Raven's death (where he told her the scent of dying roses would always remind him of her funeral). He rarely kissed, or touched her.

Their night together, a first in weeks, had been one born of frustration, of their immediate demise and of impending doom of Trigon's return. It broke Kori's heart to know that he touched her out of desperation, to reclaim normalcy_, not _because he loved her.

Carefully, she wiped the few tears that had left her beautiful eyes, tugging her fiery hair from her small mouth caught in a sob. She crawled from the bed – Richard's bed, not theirs' as she had her own apartment still and the realization almost undid her right then – and walked toward the door.

She didn't know where she was going, nor thought much on it. She didn't think about why she left the warm bed, but only knew it was suffocating and depressing being in the same room with a man she could not make love her. She didn't know if the fault lied with her - for not trying hard enough to make him love her - or if Richard's heart lied somwhere else. She didn't want to think of who might have it and why their hole had grown since their passing.

But moments later she found herself in the living room, vacant which was new as Tim often slept over, and sat upon the old couch. It was part of the sectional from the tower, the only piece not destroyed from Trigon's wrath. She could smell charcoal still woven into the threads of the couch, and could feel each of her friend's auras still within the couch. It made her smile fondly, remembering their various movie nights together.

She wrapped her arms around her slender shoulders, the urge to sink into herself overwhelming as her memories assaulted her. Grief over Dick's refusal of emotions, his carelessness with her heart, her fault in not trying enough (because surely that was the reason he did not love her was her fault) and their situation hit her hard. She felt wounded, winded and desperate and defeated; and yet the battle hadn't begun yet. She did not want to think of how it would feel should it ever start.

Kori and Raven had been close before her death, and she would think of her late at nights afterward; because that was the time they would speak. Now her heart sank. Never before did she wish for Raven to be here, to explain to her that everything would work out, that the Titans would persevere. That Richard still loved her, and she was misunderstanding him. Raven calmed her fears growing up – referring to the bond in her mind that Richard's feelings were pure and only for her. She wanted to hear her again, be soothed by her wise friend once more. Raven knew all, could see everything for what it was; Kori needed her right then so deeply her heart ached painfully for her lost friend.

Slowly Kori unraveled, her body quaking in silent sobs. The grief, almost fresh from Raven's death struck her, and she was lost to the sadness that pulled her under. She bit her fist to cry, knowing she did not want to wake Dick and explain what had originally woken her. How had she gone from worrying over Dick, worrying over a failed relationship to missing a deceased friend and wishing just to hear her sarcastic quips again? The grief was near crushing in her soul.

Minutes ticked by and Kori slowly regained hold over her emotions as the tears dried. A voice, sounding very similar to a long gone friend whispered a light mantra in her mind, and she smiled softly. It soothed her and helped put the emotions back where they belong. She tucked her hair behind her small ears, motivating herself to bed. She had an early shoot – she had to be fresh for the camera. Even now Raven was always there guiding her, helping her during her roughest points. And if Raven had taught her anything, it was emotions would only hinder things. They only caused more grief unless they were controlled. So Kori would do what she did, control the emotions and logically work through them.

Standing with the intent to sleep and to forget about her problem for just the night, her orange foot kicked a small black box beneath the couch. Gingerly she rubbed her toe, bending to pick up the offensive object. Within her hands, she could see how small it was – no bigger than a shoe box – and almost as light as empty air.

Sitting once again, she pulled the box to her, and lifted the lid curiously. Inside the box, what first struck her was a picture; it was very old, crinkled at the edges with a watermark in the center. But it was of them, young and exuberant in their teen costumes, posing outside the Tower before they were officially the Teen Titans. Another tear leaked from her eye as she saw Raven, leaning against Cyborg, her hood obstructing her face, scowl in place but eye alight with warmth. More tears fell and her bottom lip trembled. Perhaps she was not as composed as she would like to believe.

Beneath the picture, she saw a piece of Raven's cloak – she was certain they had buried her with all of them she owned – and a few more trinkets. A leather bound book still locked was at the very bottom. She was almost curious enough to break the lock, but she knew Raven did not appreciate her privacy invaded – Kori knew it had to be her journal. So her hands left it as it was, snorting that wherever Raven was, she could see how even now Kori respected her boundaries.

Then a glinting caught her attention, and at the very bottom were two small rings – silver, with one amethyst and two onyxes on each side.* She picked them up, studying them in the blackened room, where only a sliver of a waning moon's rays could catch them. Inside were symbols, but she could not make them out. She guessed they were the written words of Azarath, but the knowledge of their language was lost to time; Raven only gave her brief lessons before her demise when the Puppet King had switched their bodies.

"Now what significance would you have to Raven?" She murmured out loud, watching as the rings fell on to her slender digits. Raven never wore jewlery and Kori never remembered seeing them in her room during her visits. They reminded her of the rings that were given to them during their battle with Trigon – but those had broken as the battles waned. They had been infused with her magic, forged to help them fight Trigon, would these have the same abilities?

Carefully tucking them against her flesh, Kori closed the lid of the shoebox, placing it just as she had found it. Dick would know if it had been tempered with, and she did not want to explain what she saw – and the rings. Kori knew deep down they were important, that they would be important to the battle against Trigon. If it was he they were battling after all.

Richard was certain that Trigon was behind the murders – which he was planning on gaining entrance with another portal much like Raven had been. He believed that Trigon would wait to enter the world again. They wanted to find a survivor in order to understand his plans. All the boys followed his logic - except Kori. Kori was not so sure there would be a survivor or even if Trigon was behind it.

Because Raven had been the only survivor of a mother's womb, she _was_ the Portal. She was destined for the role, another would not be found that fit that critera. Yet Kori knew, that even if she and Raven did not share a bond like that of Dick and her, she knew Raven's past and culture better. Trigon would not be willing to try another Portal, would not wait for another to grow to the age needed, or be very strong on his own to enter should he attempt. He was almost killed from Raven's sacrifice, he was weakened and he would not be able to impregnate the women, and bide his time to come. Trigon would not want to come into their world, fearing another near death battle.

The demon was selfish. He wouldn't risk himself for any power.

Her eyes widened as the rings warmed on her fingers, thoughts turning too quickly in her mind for her to comprehend. The Cult that had used the women, were trying to bring Trigon into the world on their own. He was stuck wherever Raven had left him to die as life left her. The Cult, the Church of Scath, was hurting the women and letting them leave, to draw something out. They were using them as bait. Using them as vessels for another cause.

Perhaps they wanted Trigon's power, but would not risk bringing him into the world? But why then would they risk another Portal? Unless they did not want Trigon and did not wish for another Portal, but merely a diversion? They wanted what Trigon had, but did not want the demon himself - just his power. They wanted his power. But how?

Her hands gripped together, lightly burning a hot green._ She _was dead. She was the only one to survive a mother's suicide and had been killed defending Earth from him. She had sacrificed for _them._ Yet she was the only one of his power. Created from his body. The only one…

Surely the Cult knew this? Surely they did not think by impregnating women with Trigon's seed – if it was at all or just made to appear Trigon had impregnated them, then letting them die from their false words of a demon rising, would draw out a dead person? They couldn't possibly want Raven. They couldn't possibly think somehow this would bring a dead hero back from the grave? Raven was _dead._

A slight chill took Kori, the wind whipping up her arms, making her flesh break out in goose bumps. She had to tell Richard, had to tell the others. They were not battling Trigon. But battling the Cult, a power hungry group that wanted Raven's power. Yet how would they receive such a thing if the body was gone? If the powers were gone?

There was a pressure behind her and her blood ran cold; she could only describe the feeling as someone walking over her grave.

Turning her head slightly as she stood, she looked fearfully on a black form, nothing more than wisps of shadows curling in front of her. Her heart stopped beating, and her throat dried along with a scream in her mouth. She felt her knees wobble, and for the first time in her life Kori felt as if she would faint before a fight began.

Kori did not run from battle.

"Starfire," a disembodied voice said and Kori stepped back, caught off guard. That _voice._ It was dulled, matured and with a strange lilting – but she knew it. She had craved to hear it ever since her funeral. Ever since she saw her fall, saw Richard holding her limp body in the broken street below.

It had been the only time she had ever witnessed Richard cry.

"Raven?" She asked meekly, her hands clenched in front of her body. The shadow moved closer, wrapping around her hands, but passed through them. It felt like icy air gripping her and her body shook from the cold.

The blackness took shape, morphing into a raven silhouette. But a face didn't appear.

"Yes Starfire. It is me." The urge to cry consumed Kori as she fell against the bedroom door. It couldn't be! It _couldn't!_ She shook her head, tears leaking as if from a waterfall.

"Where have you…? How are you here…?" Tears dripped from her chin, her thin lips white. "Raven, you are to be deceased!" She shouted, hands turning green. She was frightened – but hopeful. Had her thoughts been answered? Was Raven the one they wanted? Had she returned because of their impending battle? Was she really there, in front of her now? After all these years?

But then Kori had always known Raven to help her friends when in trouble. She was loyal and would always be. Even death could not stop her.

"It is a long story Starfire." The shadow paused, the raven moving closer. "I need your help." The shadow wrapped around her hands, the silver rings glinting under Kori's starbolts. They no longer felt cold, but scalding from heat. "These rings are from Azar herself. The Priestess of the monks who trained me to harness the evil within." A pause, almost like Raven was studying them again. "I'm glad Robin saw fit to keep them after my death. You will need these to help me come back."

"Come back from where?"

"Hell."

* * *

**AN: **I know, short! But I would like to get another up next week. It's dead at work, so writing should be simple enough. *crosses fingers*. Let me know what you think! And thanks for sticking with this for so long my lovely fans. I appreciate it!

*Is anyone following what I'm trying to say – it isn't Trigon. But someone else – the cult maybe? – that is trying to gain power etc. If that doesn't make sense, or isn't clear enough (I'll elaborate more come next chapter), let me know and I'll explain in greater detail.

**Also, since this is AU, I'm taking some stuff away. Robin entered Hell to bring Raven out to defeat Trigon. She "died" doing this. The last seen where she says what a_ real_ father is? Yeah that's basically where this gets twisted. So you'll see some new stuff when I refer to it, and some stuff from the series. Just FYI.

**Shamless plug** - also check out my other story, "A Life Worth Living". It's set after the final season, taking the Titans on a ride of their life trials, borrwing heavily from comics. No OCs, nothing like that. And I still stick to canon for a bit then go wayyyy AU - check it out if you want to read something different!

_Then a glinting caught her attention, and at the very bottom were two small rings – silver, with one amethyst and two onyxes on each side.*_ - I do not know for certain what the rings look like. I think they're silver, maybe no stones, but added them for effect. And the rings from the actual episodes of "The End", were gold with red symbols. Made these slightly different - I think they called those the rings of Azar in the episode, if someone could tell me if that's true, I can play with it in this story.

_Peace _


	5. Gar Fears

**AN: **Happy New Year's Eve! I hope everyone is safe, but has fun tonight! Enjoy this next installment – next chapter is big stuff for sure. This one is more build up than anything.

And thank you for the positive feedback! Much appreciated!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned, the possibilities would be endless… but I don't.

**The Church of Blood**

**Chapter 5: Gar Fears **

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There were a few things in life that scared Garfield Logan – pink fuzzy bunnies, giant monsters that oozed black puss, blue furry objects in the old Titan's fridge. Unfortunately somehow that had followed him, even into his mansion- like home on the outskirts of Jump City. He never figured out how.

No, even if Gar was the youngest of his friends, and said the least matured (he knew they were only joking), only a few rare things actually scared him. And the greatest of all his small phobias paled in comparison to the gripping fear that had taken him when Raven had died.

She had been this immovable object and unstoppable force. He admired her and feared her (you would too if you had constant threats lobbed at you – and knew she would carry them out). She was cold, distant, logical, knowledgeable, caring, compassionate, and troubled. She was an oxymoron (how do you like that vocabulary Rae?), and complicated. She knew all, yet knew nothing. She could see the future but could not – or wouldn't - change it.*

Above all else, she was a _friend_. _His_ friend.

When Gar had watched her one last blast hit Trigon, heard his scream of pain and fury, Gar exploded into hope and happiness. He had thought they had won the battle, beaten back the odds. He turned to cheer and realized that he was the last to see Rae fall into a cloud of dark gray, white cape billowing behind her, long locks fluttering to the ground. Her body had ripped into a million tiny cuts from the full exertion of power that she had wielded, along where her father's symbols had tainted her flesh.

Richard had held her on the street, broken into a fit of sobs. Gar knew at that moment, his whispers with Vic had been true – the man had loved the dark goddess (even now he would never admit to it); even Tim believed they were right.

Kori had stood next to him, silently sobbing, wanting to touch him and Raven to heal them both. Gar had seen the hurt in her eyes and the way her naivety completely left her. Victor stood across from them, one minute hopelessly sad, the next frightening angry as he punched at the cemented walls, screaming above at imaginative beings; Gar hadn't really ever prayed before, and knew Vic only did when desperate, but as his friend asked 'why', Gar couldn't help but chime in silently.

_Why her?_ Hadn't she suffered enough? Hadn't she been through enough to warrant peace? As Gar landed, he felt something break inside him, and pure unadulterated fear took his breath away. He would never know the same fear again as Rich closed her violet eyes one last time.

Raven had showed them something that night. She had showed them true heroism and the actual extent of their powers. Her death disbanded the Titans, showed that even the good guys didn't get to go home after the battle. Good guys didn't always win. And that scared Gar. She was a half demon princess to hell – and he was just a lowly kid who had been given a strange and unique gift. If she couldn't win, how could he? How could any of them?

Now he stood on the same corner, Kori in the center of 5th and 19th, her long fiery locks dancing behind her in the blinding snow as her hands wrapped around her long arms. Victor was next to her, his hulking mass dark and stiff. Gar could tell he wanted to say something, to ask why they were there, but held back. Even now, he couldn't question Kori and her motives.

Only one figure leaned against the building, frozen much like Gar was to the side – unable to go any further.

Fear crushed his lungs. Pain so hurtful, so hot coursed through his bones, making his nerves stand on edge. He hadn't been to that part of the city in years, because whenever he came close, the smell of sulfur and of lavender caught him, and he would break down into sobs. It seemed Richard hadn't either, and his dark hair – too long for Gar's tastes – was tied back, and his eyes were hidden beneath his 'Nightwing' mask, his body suit matching.

When Gar had realized he wasn't unstoppable, he had left the costume behind. Raven's death had showed him their limits. It had also brought out Nightwing in Richard – the dark vigilante who was ruthless and brutal to his foes. Gar knew he exploded his grief on those unsuspecting, and the man worried for his old leader. He wasn't the man they had grown with, but something else, something darker and more dangerous.

But, maybe they needed something dark to combat Satan in the flesh?

"Why are we here?" Dick asked across the way, his body suit tight to skin. He looked completely warmed in the thin fabric, and Gar was suddenly jealous. His bulky winter coat didn't do anything for him.

Kori looked back, green eyes lighting up the space, cutting the snow. Her long white winter coat was furry and thick. "Raven died here Richard. This is where we need to be."

"To do what?" Gar asked, breathing into his palms. The white evaporated air puffed around him. "Are we going to start a séance?"

Kori glared, and Gar gulped, stepping back. "I am not sure how to explain this. But I have come to the realization that maybe it is not Trigon we fight. But another."

"How's that?" Victory asked, turning to look at the girl. Gar could see the wrinkles in his forehead and it wasn't the first time he was reminded of how much older they had grown. "Trigon is the only one who would try another portal. He has the means, the power. Who else?"

"Kori, what happened last night?" Dick inquired, moving closer toward them. He stopped next to Gar, unable to venture further. The pain flashed over his face, and Gar sympathized. The spot brought them both too much pain to understand.

She stood taller, her glinting silver rings on her hands. Gar had never noticed them before now. "I awoke in the middle of the night, our talks on my mind. I deduced that Trigon was too weakened from his last battle to come back and try again. The demon is selfish, he would not risk another attack that would possibly kill him. Whether true or not." Gar didn't have to guess she meant because they didn't have Rae, and they were toast. They sure as hell wouldn't give him a run for his money alone.

"But a survivor-?" Vic tried, and Kori shook her head.

"Raven was preordained to be the Portal. She was given that task, that future in life. No one else, if alive, would be able to compete with destiny. And I am sure, no one else exists."

Hope around them completely vanished. That was their only shot to stopping Trigon. That was their only plan.

"But if it isn't the big scary Red, then who?" Gar waved his hands around, shoulders drooped. He was completely crushed from the news, but he didn't want to be the downer. "Because seriously? What else is going on here that we don't know about?"

Everyone turned to Kori, her thin lips pressed together as if debating what to share.

Dick crossed his arms, hip cocking to the side in dominance. "Kori?"He prompted and Kori hung her head, hands clasping in front of her chest in worry.

"Raven came to me last night."

"Like in a dream?" Gar tried, failing miserably to understand. The other two men stilled.

She shrugged. "I was not dreaming when she came to me. But she came to me. As her soul self. Raven explained to me that Trigon is not our villain." Glancing at Victor, she ducked her head. She knew what she would say next would upset her friend. "Brother Blood is."

"Brother Blood!" Victor shouted, his one eye glaring a bright red. Gar saw his fake contact fall to the ground, crushed beneath his heel. He winced. "That mad man was put into prison years ago! He couldn't be behind this."

Gar felt Dick stumble beside him, holding his shoulder as a crutch. "What do you mean she came to you in her soul self? Raven is _dead._ Her soul self would be as well."

"Friends, please." Kori sighed, her nose turning red from the cold. Gar knew she didn't feel it though and Gar was suddenly jealous over her too. Why couldn't he have a super secretive thing to make him impervious to the cold? "There is much to explain, and not a lot of time." Holding up her hands, the rings shone even in the white mess surrounding them. They seemed to glow in a white holy aura. "Raven is stuck in a personal hell, a limbo for her. She is not permitted entrance into Heaven for she is half demon, and she cannot go to Hell because of her self sacrifice to us. She was given another choice – guardian over Trigon. She guards his prison, sure he will never return to harm us. But another force is trying to pull her from her task, back here, to use her gifts for their own evil ends."

Dick was breathing hard, so Gar stood taller, helping the man with his weight. He didn't know if he would cry or scream and Gar tensed waiting. "They want Raven's powers?"

"They want the seed of Trigon, without controlling Trigon's influence. Raven is cleansed from her ordeals, but she is a part of the demon. Brother Blood wants to own her power. And in order to gain it, he will bring her back to life, and bind them together so he can use it. Harness it. Control the world with it."

Kori turned to Vic, and then the rest of the men. "We need to resurrect her first, before Brother Blood can obtain her. We have to bring Raven back to life in order to have a fighting chance against your old enemy."

"What?" Dick finally said, voice deadly calm and barely above a whisper. His hand gripped Gar's shoulder, making the younger man wince. "You want us to bring Raven back to _life?"_

"How?" Victor asked, arms crossing over his chest. His mouth was set in a determined scowl, his features schooled into a calm dominance.

Gar averted his eyes. He knew Victor's reasoning behind it. The man had cared and loved Raven like a little sister. The man had completely shut down after Raven's death – and Gar knew this because something in him, like the rest of them had changed. He became darker, less exuberant, and less joyful. Raven's passing had taken his spark from life. Because he hadn't saved her like he had promised. She had saved him, given him something else in life with her mission and the forming of the Titans. Gave him a makeshift family when his left him.

Victor was angry at himself for not saving her, like she to him.

Even though bringing someone back gave Gar creepy reminders of _'Pet Cemetery"_, Vic wanted his sister back. She was in Hell, guarding her father, still protecting them even in death. A place she should have peace, she still fought bravely. Gar shook his head. It wasn't too hard to understand the big man. He loved her like family – and his family hadn't been much when Raven had first joined – and their personal bond had flourished. Now with Karen expecting their first child, having his sister in his life again would complete Victor.

Family had always been important to Vic. Always. He would never let Raven suffer, let her stay in Hell if he could do something about it.

"How?" Dick stepped forward again – a small step, but a step. More than what Gar was willing to do. "You want to raise the dead?"

"Didn't you hear man?" Victor boomed, gone the calmness of learning of her apparent life. He was red hot with fury. "She's in limbo. A makeshift Hell, guarding her father! And you don't want to rescue her from that?" His eyes narrowed, hands clenching at his side. Subconsciously, Gar stepped between the two men, ready to break up the fight. A battle between friends was not what they needed right then. "You've already rescued her from Hell once. What's so different now, _Nightwing_?"

His jaw ticked and Dick stepped even closer. Now Kori stood beside Gar, hands charging a bright evergreen. "I want Raven back as much as the next person. More so." Gar noticed his meaning.

They knew years ago Richard loved Raven. Vic and Gar had made bets on when it would finally come out. But when Robin and Starfire decided to begin their relationship, they thought they had misread their bond, their emotions. Now Gar could see they had hit it right on the head.

His heart broke for Kori as he looked at her, her own eyes turning sad. She had to know, had to understand Richard loved another woman. He wouldn't want to be in her shoes, digesting the cold realty in front of her.

Then her face was replaced with calm aggravation, and maybe Gar gathered, she didn't understand Richard' meaning at all. Maybe she still didn't understand Richard just didn't love her enough, but not at all? It would just be like Kori to ignore the truth and live in fantasy.

Gar shrugged. He did it too though, who was he to judge?

"So?" Victor challenged, chest brushing Kori's glowing hands. "What's the problem?"

"What if she doesn't come back the Raven we know? She comes back a child again? Comes back twisted by her time in Hell!" His breathing was ragged, heat pouring from him. Their frustration – their mutual anger and distrust was evident. "Then what do we do? _Kill her ourselves?"_

Victor narrowed his eyes, ready to fight tooth and nail with Dick. Kori and Gar both saw it. They both could feel it in the air. Vic might have been on their side, fighting their battles together, but Victor still didn't forgive Richard. Gar wouldn't be one to point fingers – he was pretty laid back. But Vic knew Rich went into Hell to get Raven. He brought her back. In his eyes, he couldn't understand why he couldn't save her again?

Not to mention, he felt such remorse over himself for not saving Raven. He kind of pushed it all on Dick, who took the weight because he was leader. He was supposed to protect her – all of them. So even if Gar didn't think Richard deserved the abuse, or the guilt or the continual grief, Victor did; and he dug whenever he could at Richard.

And then there was the whole Richard not going to his wedding a few years ago…

"She will be herself Richard," Kori soothed, light extinguishing. "She spoke to me. Talked to me as if time stopped. She has aged, her voice showed evidence of this, but I could not see her. She will be the Raven we know. And with her, she will help us defeat Brother Blood. Just like she has in the past."

"Does that work for you?" Victor taunted fists at the ready. Richard stilled, breath white in front of him. Gar moved to Vic's side, closer to the spot Raven had died upon, hand on his shoulder. He shook. He was too close and yet – he wanted to be. He wanted Raven back too.

He'd have to get over his fear of that place and her death soon enough if he was to help bring her back into their world. He glanced up at the man, smiling lightly.

"Dude, chill out. Right now is about getting Rae back here and stopping a baddie. You can fight, yell, scream and cuss each other out later. Man up and do what's right." He whispered, clapping him on the back.

Victor glared, but the spark had left him. He was devoid of emotions as he nodded, staring at Richard in silence. He'd hold his tongue, for now. Gar was sure once Raven appeared all would be forgiven. And as much as it pained him, Gar couldn't blame Vic.

Somewhere ugly, deep, dark, nasty place, he hated Rich. He was the last to hold her. Last to see her. The reason she had defeated Trigon and the reason for her death. But he wouldn't give into it and pushed ahead.

"Alright, so what's next?" He asked, opening his arms, catching a few flakes on his tongue.

Kori smiled kindly, holding her hands up again. "These rings are to bring her back. She said I was to wear one, and hold on to Victor. Robin is wear the other and hold on to you. Then we connect. Through our bond, and a few simple words, she will return."

"Seriously? I was kinda expecting an_ Ouija _board." He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

She laughed nervously. "I was too. But Raven said she was already with us, has been for some time since her passing. A board or elaborate ritual is not needed. These rings, these hold a part of her and of her teacher which has enough of their combined essences and gifts to recall her." She looked down at them, mind lost of a moment, studying their beauty. "We are fortunate Brother Blood does not have them, for if he did, Raven would be lost to his control."

"So the rings bring her back? Then what?" Dick asked, coming closer. They made a semi circle, their body heat giving them some sort of warmth.

"They connect her to us and this world. We give her the rings after, to solidify her to this world. When that happens, her corporal form will manifest, taking a day or so to grow, and she will be of us again. She will be alive."

The silence fell around them, the world covered in a thick layer of fluffy white snow. Gar sighed, grin breaking across his features. Smiling felt foreign, unused in sometime and it felt great to have back.

"I have a whole stash of jokes I'm going to tell her when we get her back."

Victor rolled his eyes, laughing into his hand. The silence, once charged with repressed anger, turned to light hearted determination. Richard stepped toward Kori, grabbing her hands. "What do we do?"

"We begin."

* * *

**AN:** *cheeky smile* I seem to be doing a great deal of cliffhangers? Sorry for that. But you'll see next chapter it was needed in order to set it up perfectly. How was it? Any thoughts?

Again, Happy New Year! Next chapter should be up within the month. Enjoy and take care!

* Also about Kori's situation – next chapter, you'll understand more. And just know now Kori isn't going to go super alien psycho should anything happen between Richard and Raven. I already have their scene thought out for a few chapters down the road – and Kori's inspirational moment. You'll be cheering her on.

""* - This is my attempt at portraying Gar's attachment to Raven. I think at some point he admires her, and another fears her. He's impressed with her, what she's done, and who she is and despite it all becomes something else. I think he idolizes her on one level and is completely infatuated on another – almost like a school girl crush. Gar might have hero-worshiped Robin (like from their 'first' meeting), but I think Raven is the one he most wants to impress and be like (even if she's creepy.) Almost like a little brother would to an older sister, but I still think he might have crushed on her in the series a bit. This is my take.

_Peace_


	6. Dark Bird Rising

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**AN:** Please don't hate me! I finally found my inspiration again. And I know it's not much, but it's something right? Enjoy!

**Chapter Six: Dark Bird Rising**

* * *

Richard watched as they made an oval, the ring pure heat on his right ring finger. He gripped Gar by his shoulder – more for his knee than anything else. He had twisted it earlier in the night on patrol but didn't want anyone to know, including Kori.

Said woman was holding his left hand, her other arm wrapped around Victor' massive forearm. Dick studied him, watching the tick in his jaw move, the way his eyes were only half open as the storm pelted them. They were lucky everything was so deserted, otherwise, standing in the middle of a street with possible civilians around, didn't help the mood for resurrecting the dead.

Dick winced mentally. He missed Raven, craved just to hear her voice, but was it such a good thing to raise those lost? What if she wasn't who they thought she was? What if she came back horrid, twisted, evil? He wouldn't be able to stop her – he would not end her again. His heart wouldn't take it.

"Now what?" Gar asked to his side, looking ahead. In the distance, the very top of the Tower stood before them, marks of the battle still along the sides. It had taken them weeks after Raven's death to disband but no one had the heart to repair the tower.

It was a memorial to a lost friend. Repairing it seemed… wrong.

"Now we speak from the heart." Kori smiled, a crystallized tear falling from her bright emerald eyes.

"How?" Dick asked, voice soft in the winter snow. He didn't dare raise it any higher, feeling the emotions churning in his stomach like a beast running from hell. He felt sick, but hopeful. Angry but happy. Torn in so many directions, he couldn't think.

"Like this," she replied, looking ahead. She took a deep breath, her long fur dusted white coat soft and warm to the touch. "Raven explained that though chants or rituals are good, sometimes just wanting something so badly from the soul, is enough to make it happen. I will attempt to express how I feel so that Raven will come to us. So that my emotions with feed her enough energy to _be."_ She paused, biting her rosy colored lip. "Raven, you once explained to me that even the most horrid of things in this world, were still beautiful. That not everything was what it appeared, that not everything thought evil, was indeed evil. Like spiders. Like horror movies. That is how I think of you and your life. It was predestined that you were to end all worlds, including our own, by helping your father. The world, your world even, saw you as evil. You did not ask for the task. You did not wish it. Yet it foretold, and you were forced to endure years of obedience, years of solitude in order to control something most children were given freedom of – emotions.

"Raven, you were my closest friend. You were the one to soothe my troubled mind when I could not. You did not think this when we were children, but though I was often admired for looks, it was you, who people revered. You have always been beautiful; inside and out. Our followers could always see this. But you were given such a fate not deserving, and I ask you come to us now, and help us save the planet you have come to love as home. For the innocents here. And for us."

Dick watched as the snow began to fall, the ring unbearably hot against his flesh. He wanted to shake it off, but didn't, not knowing what it would do to their cause. It was scalding, itching against the cloth that bared his skin and yet he endured. Minutes ticked by, Kori's smile never faltering, even as nothing appeared to happen.

Gar cleared his throat. "Sure that was supposed to happen Kori? I don't see-"

Then a sound like thunder crackled above, and an electrical charge coursed through their interconnecting bodies, making their hairs on their arms stand on edge. Gar shouted, trying to shake Rich off of him.

Dick grabbed harder, willing him to stop moving. "Stop. You don't know what it'll do if we disconnect."

"It hurts," he whined, and Victor snorted.

"Does not. Relax green boy," his voice was deep in the noise above. Soon though, the feeling subsided enough to not be so uncomfortable. He glanced to Kori, then Dick in thought. "Kori said her part. Maybe all of us are needed to say something in order to bring Rae back."

"Then perhaps," Kori began, eyes fluttering against the heavy white flakes; she smiled. "Perhaps you should say what you feel Victor. I have explained from my heart how Raven affected me. I think we all should."

Dick watched as Victor shifted feet, puffed up his chest and let it go in defeat. He rarely spoke about Raven. When he did, Gar normally brought her up in a story that Vic couldn't resist to tell. Out of all of them, Vic took to silence about Raven better than even Dick had. It was too painful, too hurtful to remember her. To speak about her as if she were truly gone. He didn't like the reminder.

"Alright," he said quietly. Both Gar and Dick froze, watching as he faced the open area. The place where Raven had fallen. Neither had expected him to talk about her; but they knew, if it meant bringing back Raven, one small chance, Vic would do it. "I'm not very good at this," he began clearing his voice. "And to be honest Rae, I haven't talked about you in some time. Not to anyone. Not even Bee." He looked to Dick and the old leader couldn't do anything reassuring except nod in silence. "But here goes nothing.

"I had this little sister once. She was a tiny thing, with soft purple hair that always smelled like homemade chamomile tea and wide purple eyes that saw everything. She had a dry wit. She loved to read. She rarely smiled. But when she did, it made the whole room light up. Her name was Raven.

"And the day came that she had been preparing for since she had been four years old. I couldn't proect her from the nightmares that plagued her since then. I couldn't stop the ill treatment from the monks. I wasn't strong enough to fight Slade when he came for you. And I couldn't protect you from falling. I wasn't there, to see you even fall. I had been too wrapped up in fighting demons from some self righteous prick, that sacrificed his only beautiful daughter to end a world, and because of that I couldn't save you. And everyday – every, single, day – I wish I had been there.

"I was your brother Raven. I was your big brother. I worked on my T- car with you. I helped you learn hand to hand combat training. We watched horror movies together that had me shaking all night long. But I was your brother and I couldn't protect you from that evil. I wasn't there to help you fight like I should have been. It was my duty as big brother to fight your battles, to keep you safe. It was my duty to endure while you stayed safe. It's my fault you're dead." A tear fell from his human eye, his hologram barely keeping up in the freezing tempatures. "And I failed you."

A jolt ran through their connecting hands, earning another sharp cry from Gar and Kori. But Dick locked on to Gar, tightened his hand on his girlfriend, and Vic followed suit. They bit their lips and held out against the pain. It was longer than it had been after Kori spoke, hotter, tighter, deeper, pulling at their essences. When they thought their molecules would be spilt in half, the sensation stopped dead. And they were left panting, gasping in the frozen area.

"Whoa," Gar said slowly, having fallen to his knees. He glanced to Dick. "Should I go next?"

"Did anyone else feel that?" Vic asked in turn.

Kori was breathing heavily, though standing and nodded. "It is our emotions bringing Raven back. She never left, just was caught in another realm. She is drawing on our essences to return to us. Slowly, we are feeding her, giving her strength to come back. Giving her a form."

"Your turn bud," Dick gestured to Gar. He lifted him to stand, as the changeling looked at him uneasily.

"I don't have a good feeling about this."

"None of us do," Vic responded and the others remained quiet. Dropping his head, Gar looked at his expensive boots, to the coated white pavement beneath.

"Anything for Raven," he said softly before turning burning eyes on to the empty space. "Raven. You scared the crap out of me."

"Gar," all three whispered but the green man ignored them. They had their turn, Dick would, now was his chance. Like always, Gar would do things his way.

"You did. You scared me. Daily, in fact. But it wasn't because you threatened me every day with a fork, or dressed in dark colors, or had a thing for dark lyrical poems, or because you were creepy. I did say that, but it was because I didn't understand. You scared me because…" he trailed off, words leaving him. He shrugged helplessly. It was always better to be honest. Especially with Raven. "Because you were the best of us.

"You were the smartest. You were the best at fighting. You were the only one who could read a thousand page book in one night and be able to pick up another one right away. You handled my screaming matches with Vic. You took Kori to the mall and endured nail and spa treatments without a complaint. You and Rich…" he drifted off. That was a loaded statement. Best to avoid that drama. "You saved him. You were the best of us. And that scared the crap out of me.

"Because when you died, you showed us we were only mortals too. You were this super, powerful woman, with a heavy burden to bear – and you did amazingly well, trust me here – and yet you were still better than all of us. And I just… miss you." He finished lamely.

Another searing pain filled their connected hands, resulting in a cry from Vic. Flesh felt like it was being ripped from their bones, burned and then thrown back on. But they didn't let their hands go.

Vic struggled, yanking on Kori's hands; the poor woman had fallen into the snow, soft tears dripping from her chin. He shouted over to Dick. "You need to go now man. If you finish while this is going on, it could be the extra boost we need to pull her out of Hell."

Cringing, Dick tried to stand tall even as his old friends and teammates around him struggled with the pain. The pain was barely affecting him; he had felt worse in his nightly raids on the city. He had felt worse twelve years ago.

The pain that washed over him was suffocating. He felt his heart break all over again. What if the Raven he remembered, didn't return? Or, a very real possibility, this didn't bring her back? What if he failed again – and he didn't save her.

He risked Hell to bring her back. He shouldered her burden with her. He bonded with her – and even now that empty recess in his mind haunted him; he yearned just to hear a quick sarcastic quip from the girl sitting across from him to steel his nerves before a fight. But she wasn't there. What if this failed? What if his Raven, his friend, didn't come back?

Richard wasn't sure he could take that pain, that disappointment again.

"Richard?" Kori questioned, emerald orbs pleading. He couldn't risk it – he simply couldn't. The pain was too fresh, the knowledge of his failure too heavy on his mind.

But Kori looked at him like she had the night at the prom; searching, pleading, begging. And he just couldn't say no. He couldn't let her down too. He wouldn't.

Forcing his eyes closed behind the black mask, Richard took a deep breath against the shocking pain in his body following his veins, freezing the blood within them. He began to speak. "I was ten when I first met you.

The feelings, the pain only grew stronger, and his heart grew heavier. "You were ten. You had thick purple hair and you hid under a cloak. Star couldn't speak English. Vic only wanted his old life back and to just not _be_ anymore. Gar wanted my autograph. And you wanted a team to fight against your father.

"I remember thinking, you had the biggest eyes I had ever seen. And that you shouldn't have been out on your own; it was late, anyone could hurt you. You were fragile to me. You looked like you needed protecting. You looked like someone that when push came to shove, would break into a million pieces. I remember thinking, I had to protect you, because you sure as hell weren't able to do it on your own.

"And then you fought. And you broke up the entire street to calm Kori down.

"Even then, I should have seen how self sacrificing, how strong, how precious but determined you were."

Though he was strong, and he was their former leader, Dick began to fall to the ground; and the three friends surrounded him in comfort. It was the first time in years they had responded in such a way. "The night before you died, you came to my room and asked to talk. You said you didn't think we were going to have much time left. I didn't understand what you were telling me. I knew about your destiny. That's why you unfroze me when Slade attacked. But I thought – " here his voice cracked as emotions – foreign but not attacked him. "I thought we would be okay, because we had you. And we had me. And we had Vic and Kori and Gar. And we could do it. We always did it before and we would again.

"That night you said I was the most hopeful person you had ever known. And that was why you prayed I was right when you knew the truth. So you asked me if you could stay with me for just one night." Kori gasped but Richard had to say it. He needed to say it. "And I let you. And I let you sleep with me in my bed, holding you for the first time ever and I knew I couldn't let you down. No matter what came.

"And the next day, you were gone." He looked into the empty space, the wind reacting to their emotions, ebbing and flowing like a tidal wave. The near blinding pain was nothing compared to the heartache that Richard felt in him. His voice was ragged as he said, "I'm sorry. I let you down. I lost hope, when we should have held on. But Raven, you thought I was the most hopeful, when really, it was you who gave us hope. Not me."

Lightening struck overhead as the rings burnt their flesh. Without thinking Gar yelped and moved from his friend, the ring flying toward the center. It began to swirl, the ring on Kori's finger whipping from her digits to follow. It spun like yin and yang, up and up and up as it circled the snow covered area.

The scent of ash and brimstone, of lavender and chamomile caught Gar and he gagged. It was the worst smell he had ever endured. The snow fell heavier as the wind picked up further. A cyclone appeared, the white flakes mixing with the sporadic lightening; it twisted and turned, possessed by an unseen force. It hovered and drifted and encased the small area before them.

It shook the nearby buildings, the storm overhead was caught between a winter snowstrom and a topical hurricane. Dick lifted his hand to watch the spectacle, feeling the heat and cold mix into a suffocating match of wills. They dominated each other, and hit with blindly speed. The old heroes stayed huddled and right as the tower peaked overhead, thunder shook the city.

In one quick blink, the lights went out. And the night fell silent.

Dick breathed, once, twice before lifting himself from the ground. The darkness wasn't scary to him, though from Gar's grip, his friend had become terrified. He punched in a quick code on his wrist just as Vic opened his own flashlight from his shoulder and they looked outward, twin beams of light shining brightly. Old scattered debris lined the streets, as trash cans, and twisted lamp poles littered the ground.

What Dick saw next, caught his breath in his throat.

"Raven?" Kori whispered, beautiful eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Hunched into the snow, was a darkened figure. Long purple locks, curled and twisted by the wind fell over pale, soft shoulders; gentle hands, lean and smooth, dug into the cement, nails breaking as she gripped. Slowly, and with much strain, Raven raised her head, and two wide, almond shaped amethyst eyes stared at them each in turn, before falling on Dick.

She smiled, her body shivering in the cold; she was naked, though her hair was long, covering her mostly from view. They held each other's gazes before her eyes fluttered closed, her body falling to the ground, even as Vic reacted and began to reach for her.

One word slipped from her mouth as his human painted hands gripped her before her fine china face fell into the cement. Dick's breath came out in a choke as he heard it.

_"Hope."_

* * *

**AN:** So? I know it might seem too easy to bring Rae back - it really wasn't my intention to be so hung up on this part. The plot of the story revolves more around what happens after she returns, more so than bringing her back.

And in my absolute honest opinion, this part isn't exactly easy. These guys just had to totally come to terms with a friends death, talk about it aloud, and in Richard's case, basically admit to things that no one knew about. Tough work. Then the rings took those emotions - by _force_ - and used it to bring Raven's corporal form back to Earth. The details of this will be explained next chapter.

Next installment: Raven greets a few old friends; and they get down to business to what Brother Blood is really up to.

Peace


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